Solo travel means no compromises, moving at your pace, and choosing your story. Whether you're craving remote beaches or buzzing cities, the best trips are the ones you shape for yourself.
Planning a solo trip can feel like flipping through someone else’s scrapbook. Skip that. Instead, ask yourself: What do I want to remember? A sunrise from a hilltop or a night train through a new country? There’s no universal path—just your own.
Here's your first mindset shift:
- You don’t need to justify your destination.
- You don’t need to explain why you're going alone.
- You just go.
You’ll quickly realize: it’s not about being alone, it’s about being with everything around you. Here are our tips for traveling alone.
Design, Don't Copy
Your trip. Your vibe. Your rules. Designing a trip doesn’t mean stuffing it with attractions. It means finding your rhythm.
Ask yourself:
- What pace do I want today?
- How do I want to feel at the end of it?
Maybe you wander side streets. Maybe you stay still for an hour in a park. Both count.
Skip the guidebook echo. Skip the crowd trails. Choose places that match your tempo.
City? Coast? Somewhere between? Make your own mix.
Alone, Not Lonely
Worried about travelling alone for the first time? Most people are. So what actually happens?
You start to see more. You hear snippets of conversation in cafes. Without anyone else narrating the moment, you begin writing your own.
Moments that feel awkward at first—dining solo, walking with no destination—start to feel natural. Then empowering. Then necessary.
You meet people differently, too:
- Fellow travelers who are open by default.
- Locals curious about your story.
- Vendors who remember your name.
You realize you don’t need company to feel connected. You just need presence.
Top Solo Travel Tip: Capture Memories
Memories fade. Journals, photos, and videos help them linger.
Every solo traveler needs a way to remember the quiet moments, the unexpected views, and the small victories that don’t make headlines. That’s where your camera becomes more than a gadget—it becomes a witness.
We might be biased, but we think these are the best travel cameras for solo travelers:
- Insta360 X5: Literally captures everything around you in a stunning 8K 360, so you never miss what’s just out of frame.
- Insta360 Ace Pro 2: Delivers 8K clarity that elevates a short clip into a lasting story. Perfect for travel vlogs.
- Insta360 GO 3S: Clips onto your shirt or hat with no fuss, so you stay in the moment while it works in the background. Perfect for hands-free POVs and unique angles.
- Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Perfect for stabilized phone gimbal recording, it sets up quickly and automatically tracks your every move—keeping you in frame without lifting a finger.
Each one gives you a different way to say, “This happened.”
What Makes These Tools Work for Solo Travel?
Insta360 Ace Pro 2 shines in low light; you film at golden hour or past midnight. X5 sees in all directions; you choose the shot later. GO 3S clips on, stays light, and shoots where bulkier cameras can’t go. Flow 2 Pro follows your every move; no tripod juggling. They do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on the moment. Whether you're walking through a market or jumping on a last-minute ferry, your gear adapts. Simple, intuitive, powerful.
Solo Travel Camera Comparison
Product | Best For | Key Features | Portability |
Insta360 X5 | Immersive 360 storytelling | 8K 360 video, PureVideo mode, InstaFrame Mode, replaceable lens guards | Moderate size, backpack fit |
Insta360 Ace Pro 2 | Cinematic solo vlogs + Leica detail | 8K video, 4K60fps Active HDR, flip screen, Wind Guard, Leica lens | Handheld-friendly |
Insta360 GO 3S | Hands-free POV, light travel | Magnetic mount, 4K video, Apple Find My compatible, ultra-compact | Ultra-light at 39g, wearable |
Insta360 Flow 2 Pro | Smartphone content creation | AI tracking, Apple DockKit, built-in tripod + selfie stick, stabilizer + remote control | Compact, foldable, pocket-sized |
Pro Tip: Insta360 X5 is available in a Creator Bundle which offers the perfect set up for the travelling creator to capture the most incredible shots from the road. It includes:
- Insta360 X5
- Bullet Time Selfie Stick 2.0 (hello Matric style shots!)
- Mic Adapter
- Invisible Mic Cold Shoe (for RØDE Mic)
- Quick Reader
Solo Travel Destination Recommendations
Not sure where to go? Start with places that welcome solo travelers without fuss:
- Kyoto, Japan: Time slows in Kyoto. You can spend a morning tracing temple paths under a soft canopy of leaves and an afternoon sipping matcha in a teahouse that’s stood for generations. The city blends silence with spectacle—lantern-lit alleys and bamboo groves where solitude feels complete, not empty.
- Lisbon, Portugal: Light skips off the tiles here. Hop on Tram 28 without a plan. Stop when the mood hits. Cafés spill out onto sloping streets, and the Atlantic air lingers in your clothes. Conversations with locals don’t require fluency—just a smile and an open mind.
- Melbourne, Australia: Creativity pulses through the laneways. Street art climbs every wall, and each alley hides a coffee bar that’s better than the last. By day, it’s all markets and bike rides. By night, a mix of indie film, live music, and skyline views from rooftop corners. It’s a place where new feels familiar fast.
- Oaxaca, Mexico: Here, history isn’t in glass cases—it’s alive in the colors, flavors, and stories shared over mezcal. You’ll find yourself pulled into parades you didn’t expect and invited into kitchens you didn’t ask to enter. The days stretch out with possibility; the nights hum with local rhythm.
- Seoul, South Korea: Seoul runs 24/7, but you don’t have to. Wander from palaces to cafes that feel like art installations. Explore bookstores open past midnight, or try street food at a stand where the vendor knows your face by day three. Fast-moving but deeply rooted, it’s easy to navigate, yet layered enough to keep revealing more.
- Quebec City, Canada: Cobblestones crunch beneath your shoes, and the scent of butter from a nearby boulangerie draws you in. English or French—it doesn’t matter. People are warm either way. Old-world charm without flying across the ocean. Slow mornings, steep stairways, and plenty of places to pause.
- Harbin, China: If timing lines up with winter, go north. Harbin’s International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is unlike anything else. Entire buildings made of ice, lit up with color, and carved with precision. It’s an otherworldly setting where cold becomes part of the magic.
- Tbilisi, Georgia: Tucked between Europe and Asia, Tbilisi is both ancient and edgy. Sulfur baths, hillside fortresses, bold wines, and streets buzzing with artists. Affordable, layered, and completely under the radar.
- Lviv, Ukraine: Compact and quietly enchanting. Cobblestone lanes, jazz bars in hidden courtyards, and a café culture built for slow hours. It’s a place that invites you to linger—and rewards you for staying.
You’re not here to follow anyone else’s plan. You’re here to find your own rhythm. Your trip, your rules. Let your instinct lead. Pause when it feels right. Say yes to new experiences. Say no when you need space.

Bottom Line. Just Go.
You don’t need to be ready to go. You need to go to feel ready. Most great adventures don’t start with certainty—they start with motion. So pack the essentials, trust your gut, and press record.
That first step is less about location and more about mindset. Trust yourself. Let spontaneity in. Solo travel reveals parts of the world—and yourself—you might’ve missed in company.
If you need a sign to book that flight, this is it. Grab your bag, grab your camera, and start the story only you can tell.
Keen to keep up to date on Insta360 stories? Keep an eye on our blog and sign up for our mailing list. Got a story to share? Email yours to communitystories@insta360.com and win up to US$50.